Chow looking for third mid-amateur championship

Baddeck native Trevor Chow is gunning for his third provincial men’s mid-amateur golf title this weekend. The 54-hole tournament opens Friday at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie.

SYDNEY, N.S. — Trevor Chow knows what it takes to win a provincial mid-amateur golf title, and he’ll look to add to his trophy case this weekend in Shubenacadie.

The Baddeck native has won mid-amateur titles in 2009 and 2013 and is a perennial favourite at Nova Scotia Golf Association tournaments.

The Links at Penn Hills will be the stage for this year’s mid-amateur championship. Play at the 54-hole event begins on Friday.

“It’s not a course that we play every year like some of the other ones,” said Chow, 40, a Hammonds Plains resident who golfs out of Ashburn (Halifax). “The front nine is carved out of the woods and there’s some pretty tight holes. The back nine is a little more open down by the river and it gets windier and there’s more fescue and things like that. It’s a nice golf course.”

Chow is coming off a strong showing at the men’s amateur championship held at Oakfield Country Club, July 5-8. He placed sixth at 5 over par, with the only golfer shooting below par being champion Myles Creighton of Ashburn (Kinsac). Creighton ran away with the competition at 8 under.

“Other than a couple of little, silly mistakes, I felt like I had my swing in a good place at the amateur,” said Chow. “I’m hoping I can keep going with that and play well this week.”

Last year, Chow tied for fourth place at the rain-shortened mid-amateur held in Antigonish, and earned a spot at the Canadian championship held at Abercrombie Country Club in New Glasgow. He made the cut and finished in a tie for 47th place.

Chow has made a number of provincial teams over his competitive career, and relishes the experience. The top three finishers and an alternate will play at nationals in Regina, Sask., Aug. 22-25. His chances of making the team have improved even more this time around, however, since he’s 40 this year and a spot on the team for the top 40-plus aged player is guaranteed.

“It’s a privilege to play in a national event,” said Chow. “It’s fun to go on a road trip with your good friends and represent Nova Scotia. If you’re playing competitive golf, that’s really what you want to do — you want to go to the national event.”

Sean Stuart of Ashburn (Halifax) will be back to defend his title. He finished at 2 under par, a stroke ahead of Geoff Campbell from Oakfield, who’s also registered to compete.

Seaview Golf and Country Club member Aaron Barrington of Coxheath, who lives in Fort McMurray, Alta., is home to compete this weekend. The 33-year-old Seaview club champion placed fifth at the 2015 mid-amateur event at his home course.

Other Cape Breton golfers in the field include Alex Poirier of Le Portage, Matt Murchison and Leon Paul of Lingan, and Adrian Paul of Seaview.